The rise in the cost of properties and rents has become the number one concern of Montreal voters on the sidelines of the current municipal campaign, which should prompt the parties in this race to multiply the announcements on this subject in the coming weeks. But beyond the beautiful promises, does the City really have the capacity to remedy this complex situation?
The 2017 municipal election campaign was marked by public transport needs, while the issue of public services managed by the municipality, such as snow removal and street cleaning, is generally at the top of the list of concerns of Montreal voters.
Or, a light probeThe duty, carried out from September 14 to 19 with 500 residents of the metropolis, instead places the cost of housing and access to property at the top of the issues that most concern Montrealers, in anticipation of the election on November 7, ahead of gun control and police funding. Utilities follow later in the list, which almost completely overshadows transit needs, with the exception of a mention of the light rail line project of the Metropolitan Express Network to the east of Montreal.
“It’s amazing because the last time [pendant la campagne électorale de 2017], we talked a lot more about transport, mobility, congestion. It touched people, ”recalls Jean-Philippe Meloche, professor at the School of Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture at the University of Mont-real. As for the issue of access to housing, he recognizes that the situation is “more critical” today than it was four years ago, in a context of real estate speculation which limits purchasing power. many Montrealers in the residential market.
“There is a lack of affordable housing, a lack of housing for families; there is a problem of discrimination, and young people have less and less the means to access property, ”lists Hélène Bélanger, professor in the Department of Urban and Tourism Studies at the University of Quebec in Montreal. The expert thus notes that the “housing crisis”, which mainly affected “low and middle income people” a few years ago, now affects “the middle class”, and therefore a much larger pool of voters. to Montreal.
Affordable housing, but “for whom? “
Tenants are also not left out, since rents have climbed at a record rate of 4.6% on the Island of Montreal, between 2019 and 2020. Taking into account only unoccupied dwellings, and therefore available for the rental, the average rent for these rose from $ 910 to $ 1,198 between 2019 and 2020, which represents an increase of more than 30% in one year, according to data from the Montreal Metropolitan Community.
In this context, “more and more tenants with higher incomes can no longer do it,” notes the spokesperson for the Front for Popular Action in Urban Reorganization (FRAPRU), Véronique Laflamme.
In order to change the situation, the head of Projet Montréal, Valerie Plante, traffic facilitate the construction of 60,000 affordable housing units in the metropolis. To do this, she proposes that the City acquire many lots in the coming years in order to “lend” them to non-profit organizations and private developers who will develop affordable housing, including rent or rent. the sale price will be limited to 90% of the average price on the private market.
“Who is it affordable for? The question remains and remains, ”says Hélène Bélanger, who fears that these housing units will be financially inaccessible to many Montreal households. Véronique Laflamme thus reiterates the importance of not “overshadowing” the needs in terms of social and community housing, which are for their part accessible to the less fortunate. However, the financing of these depends in large part on Quebec and Ottawa, recalls Mr.me Bélanger.
“We will not neglect any part because housing is complex”, underlines the housing manager of the executive committee and elected of Projet Montreal, Robert Beaudry, who promises to take into account the needs in terms of social housing in the area. metropolis. Valérie Plante’s party was also planning another housing announcement on Monday, learned The duty.
The conductor of Ensemble Montréal, Denis Coderre, for his part refused to advance on the promises he intends to make in terms of housing for the metropolis, when The dutycontacted his team. “We will make our announcements in due course on this,” said his press officer, Elizabeth Lemay.
Multiple solutions
The leader of the Mouvement Montréal party, Balarama Holness, proposes to abolish the option of financial compensation provided for in the Regulation for a mixed metropolis for developers refusing to include social or affordable housing in their real estate projects. “What good is this settlement if people can just pay to get by?” »Asks the candidate.
Mr Holness also believes that the City should set up its own rent register, as demanded by FRAPRU.
“It remains one of the tools that can allow tenants to assert their rights so that there are no abusive increases at the time of tenant changes”, analyzes Hélène Bélanger.
Projet Montréal continues to pass the buck to the Legault government, however, on this point. “We continue to ask Quebec to set up a rent register because it is their responsibility,” says Mr. Beaudry.
The head of Ralliement pour Montréal, Marc-Antoine Desjardins, proposes for his part to “redefine the commercial zoning”, particularly in the city center, to facilitate the conversion of empty commercial premises into housing, when the “empty land” are rare.
“It is certain that regulatory rigor is detrimental to the response to housing needs” in the metropolis, admits Jean-Philippe Meloche. The latter estimates in particular that the central boroughs of the metropolis which limit to a few floors only the height of buildings in their residential streets should revise these heights upwards, to allow the creation of new housing.
“That doesn’t mean building 230-story towers in the city center,” says the expert, referring to Mr. Coderre’s interest in building towers beyond Mount Royal. It means allowing certain central Montreal neighborhoods to have slightly higher heights. “
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